Retirement Watch Weekly
Should I Empty My IRA Early?
It is not always a good idea to keep money in an IRA as long as possible. In most cases, it makes sense to let income and gains compound tax deferred for many years. But that can change as you get older. You might benefit by taking more money out of an IRA than you […]
Don’t Spread Affluenza to Your Heirs
Many people who have accumulated some wealth are torn over the issue of how much to give or leave to their heirs. They prefer to leave a meaningful legacy and help their heirs be financially secure. But they also are afraid the wealth will hurt the recipients. The debilitating effects of wealth are real and […]
How to Slash Auto Insurance Costs
The airwaves are full of ads for lower auto insurance costs. But the commercials don’t tell you even half the story. Unfortunately, few people do their auto insurance correctly. There are many ways to cut your auto premiums without putting yourself at risk. This is especially good news for older Americans. Those premium reductions you […]
Stocks For The Next Bull Market
A new bull market for stocks is on the way. It’s not here yet, and probably won’t be for several months. You should use this pause as an opportunity to get your portfolio ready for the turnaround. In last September’s quarterly special report I identified 26 individual stocks of high quality companies that seemed ideal […]
Fresh Start For Your IRAs
The IRS recently created a tremendous opportunity to improve your financial and estate planning. In a surprise to everyone, the IRS in early January issued new rules for taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) from IRAs and other qualified retirement plans after age 70 1/2. The previous rules, described in detail in my Retirement Tax Guide, […]
How to Avoid the Key Retirement Housing Mistakes
Retirement patterns in the U.S. are changing. That’s because many are finding that the traditional move to warmer climes isn’t for them. The “boomerang” or the “bounce-back” is becoming common for those who move to Florida or Arizona. Retirees have many more location options than they used to. Retiree-oriented developments are being built all over, […]
How to Preserve the Family Business
When owners think about preserving the family business for the next generation, they think about estate taxes. You can do a lot to continue the family firm through tax strategies such as annual gifts, family limited partnerships, dynasty trusts, and the like. But tax planning is at most only half the job. Half of all […]
The Truth About Life Insurance Trusts
One estate tax shelter untouched by the government over the years is the irrevocable life insurance trust. At various times the IRS has tried to shut down this valuable tool, but the courts and Congress kept the structure intact. The purpose of an irrevocable life insurance trust is to exclude insurance benefits from the taxable […]
